UK SECURITY
LAWS "AN INTERNATIONAL DISGRACE", SAYS HUMAN RIGHTS
GROUPS"The UK's disregard for the public interest and
preference for gagging and suppression of information over accountability
and democratic scrutiny is an international disgrace", according
to ARTICLE 19 and Liberty's new report, which shows how out of
step the regime governing national security in the UK is with
international human rights standards. Since taking office, the
Labour Government has spent thousands of pounds pursuing more
than a dozen individuals and publications in connection with
allegations of incompetence or wrongdoing by the security and
intelligence services. 2

"The UK's disregard for the public interest and preference
for gagging and suppression of information over accountability
and democratic scrutiny is an international disgrace. There is
a clear pattern of official harassment of
those coming forward with embarrassing information on the activities
and conduct of the security and intelligence services.

"It is time for the government to drop its national security
fig leaf and overhaul the system to bring it into line with international
standards,"

They added:

"The UK stands out among established democracies for
its lack of constitutional, statutory or judicial safeguards
when it comes to prior censorship, protection of confidentiality
of sources and taking into account the public interest in cases
where national security is concerned.

A raft of mechanisms has been invoked by successive UK governments
to suppress information, obtain documents, compel disclosure
of sources and trace and punish those responsible for disclosures.
Among these are injunctions, production orders, confidentiality
clauses and contempt of court laws which can and have resulted
in gagging orders, fines and prison sentences for public servants
and journalists who use protected information to publicise documents
and allegations relating to official incompetence, illegality
or wrongdoing."